UCI president Brian Cookson believes that Femke Van den Driessche, banned last month for six years in cycling’s first mechanical doping case, did not cheat unaided and has called for charges to be laid against members of her entourage.
The 19-year-old Belgian rider was also fined CHF20,000 after a bike prepared for her at the Cyclo-cross World Championships in January, where she competed in the under-23 event, was found by UCI commissaries to contain an illegal motor.
The Wilier bike – a spare, located in the pits – was found to have a Vivax Assist motor in its seat tube, activated via Bluetooth from a button on the handlebars.
Speaking to Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Cookson said: “I don’t think this is all over for her entourage. Let me put it like this; I cannot imagine this young lady did this on her own.”
The head of the governing body isn’t the first person to have raised suspicions that Van den Driessche was not acting alone.
In the days after the discovery of the concealed motor, Dimension Data rider Matt Brammeier said he had been concerned about the behaviour of her support crew at last October’s Koppenbergcross race, where he was helping his partner, Britain’s Nikki Harris.
The former Irish champion told Shane Stokes of Cycling Tips: “I was stood in the pit next to Femke’s entourage. I don’t quite know what it was, but something seemed a bit weird there.
“The whole team had walkie-talkie radios, ear pieces and seemed pretty anxious and, overall, just a bit odd. I’d never seen that before and it kind of stuck in my head.”
Video of that race showed Van den Driessche easily pulling away from a world class field in the climb of the Koppenberg, but being brought back on the descents and the flatter sections of the course.
Van den Driessche’s suspension is effective from fully three weeks before that event – 11 October 2015, when she competed at the Bpost Bank Trophy in Ronse, Belgium, suggesting that the UCI’s disciplinary commission was satisfied she was riding that event with illegal assistance.
At the world championships, her Wilier bike – a spare, located in the pits – was found to have a Vivax Assist motor in its seat tube, activated via Bluetooth from a button on the handlebars.
The rider chose not to be present at the disciplinary hearing in Aigle, Switzerland, that led to her suspension and her lawyer, Kristof De Saedeleer, says he is still awaiting the Reasoned Decision in the case.
He added: "I have no knowledge of any penalties for her entourage. Who would be charged? Her father was called in front of the disciplinary commission, but only as a witness, not a defendant. Only Femke was liable as defendant.
“If sanctions will follow for other people, that can only be done through new disciplinary procedures."
Cookson, however, is adamant that others could be brought to account. "If it turns out that other people were involved in the fraud, there could be consequences for them,” he said. “If necessary, refer them to the Belgian federation," he added.
That needs self-awareness . . . but, but, I can go faster in a pace-line & it's fun!
I don't think the app drives that culture though, undoubtedly some obsess about their rides in that way, and it leads them to ride without...
KSI accidents are a per-journey issue. You don't get to kill or seriously injure people on multiple occasions on a single journey....
most drivers would have assumed he was talking about cyclists
Thank you.
Well done to the cyclist who took the time and trouble to report this and to Greater Manchester for doing something, with many forces this would be...
Tell us that motorists are not paying their fair share based on the damage they cause... without telling us....
Fnord
Why are you so damned rude? What is your problem exactly?
We’re on about things that happen only occasionally, like crashes involving bikes planes and trains - things that happen wholesale like anything to...